This week I attended a committee meeting at the legislature where the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth, Daphne Penrose, presented her annual report. She said immediate action is needed from the Manitoba government because kids in the care of Child & Family Services (CFS) cannot access addictions or mental health services.

Current rules and requirements for youth to access addictions services essentially bar Children in CFS care from accessing the program. The Addictions Foundation of Manitoba (AFM) Compass Program can refuse admission to a young person who has no “family supports,” no “confirmed place of residence upon discharge,” or any involvement in the justice system.
The result is that a young person with an addiction who is involved with Child and Family Services or the justice system cannot get treatment.

In addition to that, the annual report lists the top issues for CFS. Nearly half of complaints include a “lack of service standards”.
Complaints about quality of care include “lack of education” “lack of clothing” “lack of health care” and “lack of food.”
These are not reasons kids were taken into care - they are complaints about what is happening to kids who are currently *in* CFS care.

On Monday, in response to Manitoba Liberals calling out the government on addictions treatment wait times, Conservative Health Minister Cameron Friesen told CBC Manitoba that “the Federal government is reducing health transfers to Manitoba.”
His statement is inaccurate.
Federal health transfers to Manitoba have increased since 2010.

Click here to see for yourself. Scroll down until you see Federal Support for Manitoba.
The current Federal Liberal government has increased transfers to the province by $500-million in 2 years.